All or Nothing
by Tael Gryphon
Summary: This is the beginning of a little series I'm working on called "Tai and His Hopeless Love Life". In this part of it, it's about how Tai and Sora break up.


Author's Note/Disclaimer: Okey-day. The stuff in the dashes are song lyrics. The stuff between astericks are thoughts. 'Kay? Also, I hoped that I didn't go overboard with the song versus the story. But hey, that's just me. ^_^ Sometimes the song lyrics looks longer than the story, I'd say that if you take out the song lyrics and piece it back together, you'll notice it's a relatively long story. (I think.) Anyway, the song is by O- Town (don't own it), and the characters, Sora and Tai, are owned by... umm... whoever they're owned by!  
  
Okay, I'll shut up now. REVIEW PLEASE!!! (I'm not begging that you review, or that you have to. If you like the fic, then, please.)  
  
~*~All Or Nothing~*~  
  
--I know when he's been on your mind--  
  
--That distant look is in your eyes--  
  
--I thought with time you'd realise--  
  
--It's over, over--  
  
--It's not the way I choose to live--  
  
--And something somewhere's got to give--  
  
--A share in this relationship--  
  
--Gets older older--  
  
Tai sat in his car, with Sora. She was staring out the window, waiting for the light to change. She hadn't said much to him all evening. Tai glanced at the steering wheel.*Maybe the rumours at school are true. That she likes... well... him.* He looked at the girl, her reddish-brown hair bright in the streetlights.  
  
Tai sighed. He knew the relationship was just dragging along, like the two were together just because everyone else at school were dating. Like some of the new freshmen: Miyako and Ken, TK and that new girl at school, and Davis and Tai's own little sister, Kari. But it seemed almost pointless for Sora and himself to be together. And the two had been together for two and a half full years. Never broke up once. Maybe it was time for a change.  
  
--You know I'd fight for you--  
  
--But how can I fight someone who isn't even there--  
  
--I've had the rest of you--  
  
--Now I want the best of you--  
  
--I don't care if that's not fair--  
  
Sora gave a long sigh. Why was she even out with a guy she only cared about as a friend? Oh, yeah. 'Cause Matt was dating Denise, the American exchange student. She looked out the window again. Dark, as always. Except for the blinding light of the streetlights, and the blaring car horns, there really wasn't much going on out there. She threw a quick glance at Tai. He seemed just as bored as she did. She knew he had heard about the rumours flying around school about Matt and herself, and she knew that he probably didn't understand. It wasn't that she hated the dark-haired boy, it was just... she knew that at 17, she needed to have a chance to try out new things, go out with new people, just pretty much be independant and have a chance to figure things out on her own. She knew Tai would stand up for her, fight for her, he had done that in the past, when they were only 11 and all stuck in the Digiworld. But she was older now, and she could fight for herself. She had seen all of Tai pretty much, and knew about him almost inside and out. (Okay, maybe she didn't know too much about the out part, it's not that she really wanted to anyway.) She knew him since they were about 3! But she really couldn't understand why he was always so protective over her. She would be of age in less than 2 months, she could handle herself.  
  
--'Cause I want it all --  
  
--Or nothing at all--  
  
--There's nowhere left to fall when you reach the bottom--  
  
--It's now or never --  
  
--Is it all--  
  
--Or are we just friends?--  
  
--Is this how it ends with a simple telephone call--  
  
--You leave me here with nothing at all--  
  
Finally the light turned green. Tai made a left turn towards HeightonView Terrace, not far from Sora's home. He had heard every single rumour about Sora having a huge crush on Matt. *Of course, she would have a crush... on my BEST FRIEND!!! Is that what she'll dump me for, my own best friend?* Tai shook his head. He looked at her again. She was still staring out the window. He coughed, trying to get her attention. Sora looked at him.  
  
--There are times it seems to me--  
  
--I'm sharing you with memories--  
  
--I feel it in my heart but I--  
  
--Don't show it show it--  
  
--Then there's times you look at me--  
  
--As though I'm all that you can see--  
  
--Those times I don't believe it's right--  
  
--I know it know it--  
  
"Ummm... Sora. Um... I've been hearing these rumours about you and..." Tai started, but he began sputtering, unable to get the name out.  
  
"Matt?" Sora asked.  
  
"Yeah. Him. Are they... you know..." Tai stumbled over his words.  
  
"True. I guess they are." Sora said softly. She averted her light-brown eyes away from Tai's face.  
  
*So she'd rather be with my closest friend?* Tai thought. "Sora... what about all the time we've known each other? What's going to become of that?"  
  
"Tai, they're memories. Good memories, but memories nonetheless." Sora said, gently touching his hand.  
  
"But... Sora.. I... I..." Tai stammered even more.* I can't get the words out!!! What's wrong with me? I've never acted like this. How can I tell her that I... love her?*  
  
"Tai, you don't need to say it. I already know how much you care for me, and I honestly care for you." Sora said, looking into Tai's clear hazel eyes.  
  
--Don't make me promises--  
  
--Baby you never did know how to keep them well--  
  
--I've had the rest of you--  
  
--Now I want the best of you--  
  
--It's time to show and tell--  
  
"You... you do?" Tai stuttered.  
  
Sora nodded, then continued. "Tai, I'm not doing this because I don't love you. Because I do. But we're only teenagers. We both need time to meet other people and try new things. And, if you think about it, this relationship's just been dragging on. You know what they say, 'If you truly love someone, let them go free. If they return to you, it's meant to be.' And I'm letting you go. I've made promises to you that I didn't commit to, and you've done the same to me."  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Maybe we've wasted almost 3 years together." Tai said.  
  
"No, that's not true. If you say that we've wasted 3 years dating, then what about that year we first met the Digimon? We all became true friends then. We learned to rely on each other through thick and thin. And we're all better people for it. The two of us, we'll be better people because we were together."  
  
--'Cause I want it all --  
  
--Or nothing at all--  
  
There's nowhere left to fall when you reach the bottom--  
  
--It's now or never--  
  
Is it all --  
  
--Or are we just friends--  
  
--Is this how it ends--  
  
--With a simple telephone call--  
  
--You leave me here--  
  
--With nothing...--  
  
"So basically, you're saying that's it. We'll be friends forever." Tai said, the sarcasm sharp in his voice.  
  
"Tai... this is as hard for me as it is for you." Sora said, slightly exasperated. She turned back to stare out the window.  
  
"Easy for you to say! You already have someone in mind, who likes you anyway! I mean, it's the same guy you blew me off for before when we were 14!" Tai raised his voice.  
  
"I didn't decide for this to happen! It just did!" Sora said over Tai's voice.  
  
"You didn't? But I thought..." Tai said, confused.  
  
"No, I didn't. This was completely unplanned when Matt asked me out 3 years ago. And I didn't realise that I still liked him until like 3 months ago. Tai, you don't understand. I love you, but at the same time, I don't love you. I'm sorry."  
  
Tai glanced at her, absolutely confused.  
  
"I love you only as a friend. Nothing more." Sora said quietly.  
  
--'Cause you and I --  
  
--Could lose it all if you've got no more room--  
  
--No room inside--  
  
--For me inside--  
  
--For me in your life--  
  
Tai slowed down the car. They were in front of Sora's apartment complex. Tai sighed quietly. "So, I guess it's over, is it?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess it is." Sora said softly.  
  
She looked out into the night for a moment then turned back to Tai. She didn't say anything as she leaned over and gave him one last final kiss. Tai looked at her in disbelief.  
  
Sora slowly waved goodbye, then she walked into the lobby of the apartment building. Tai put the car back in drive and headed home.  
  
--'Cause I want it all--  
  
--Or nothing at all--  
  
--There's nowhere left to fall --  
  
--It's now or never--  
  
--Is it all--  
  
--Or are we just friends--  
  
--Is this how it ends--  
  
--With a simple telephone call--  
  
--You leave me here--  
  
--With nothing at all--  
  
FIN. 


End file.
